The centrifugal effect gained by rotating articles within a container has been found to be useful in dry removal (i.e. no water used) of skin from skinned produce. Centrifugal separators comprising a rotating perforated drum have been utilised within produce processing systems to remove starch and loosened peel after steam peeling from produce fed through the drum. The centrifugal action of the rotating drum separates loosened peel from the product and carries or forces it through the perforations in the drum wall. An internal auger may be mounted within the drum to control the retention time of the product within the drum. An auger may also induce extra product mobility into the drum. The rolling and rubbing of product against the drum wall while passing through the drum loosens peel prior to removal through the perforations.
During the process of peel separation, considerable amounts of starch or other product residue can attach to and build up upon the inside of a drum. This residual material can subsequently be transferred back to the product which can considerably reduce the efficiency of the unit. The build-up may also partially block the perforations in the drum and thus prevent passing of peel out through the perforations.
One such prior art centrifugal separator comprises a central auger on which are provided lifters. The lifters agitate the product as the auger controls the residence time of the product in the drum. A result of the lifter being attached to the auger is that the amount of agitation is limited to the speed of the auger. For example, an auger speed of 20 R.P.M. will give a maximum of 20 lifts/tumblings of the product per minute, where one lifter is provided per flight of the auger.
The speed of the auger in such a prior art system is limited by the minimum required retention time of product to achieve the required peel/starch removal.
Existing equipment typically achieves only 80-85% removal of peel and starch. Thus what is required is a centrifugal separator with improved efficiency of starch and peel separation. It is desired to remove 90-95% of peel and starch from product.